Naruto: Like a Father
by DPool
Summary: Following the death of his parents, Naruto is adopted and raised by Hatake Kakashi and it's time for him to begin his training at the Academy. Will Naruto be able to live up to the legacy of his parents or fall short of expectations? NaruxSaku KakaxAnko


**Naruto:**  
 **Like a Father**

 **Chapter One**

 _ **A/N:**_ What's going on people?! First time writing a FanFic but I've been reading them for years. Let me go ahead and give you a breakdown.

After the death of Naruto's parents, he is adopted by Hatake Kakashi. He has a crush on a girl he goes to the academy with and sometimes acts like an idiot just to see her smile. He has a lot of talent and even greater potential, if only he'd quit acting out in class.

Well that's it. I hope you enjoy!

 _I do not own Naruto!_

 _ **End A/N**_

Kakashi's legs buckled underneath him as he reached his destination. He had been walking towards where the Kyuubi was currently chained down for what seemed like hours. His Sensei had been figting off the terrible beast and it had looked as if he might be able to win, but this was not to be. The beast currently had one of its massive claws through the chests of Kushina and Minato and it would certainly mean their demise.

He arrived in the clearing to see what looked to be the couple's final words to their newborn son, Naruto. The two were clearly in a lot of physical pain, but anyone could tell that was not the reason for the tears streaming down their cheeks. They were crying because they knew their son would now be an orphan. That he would feel alone in this world and with no one to care for him.

As Kakashi fell to the ground, his legs giving out beneath him, he pulled his mask aside and vomited. _Not like this..._ He pleaded inside his own mind, _Please not like this._ As he pulled his mask back on, he felt a tender, caring hand being placed on his shoulder. He turned to see Sarutobi Hiruzen, the previous Hokage kneeling beside him. Hiruzen had tears streaming down his wrinkled cheeks as he looked at the sight before him. The two made eye contact for a brief moment, but in that moment Hiruzen's feelings were properly conveyed to the silver-haired man.

 _I'm willing to do my part to make their passing easier, are you?_

Kakashi bit his lip as he clenched his hands into tight fists. He felt his eyes stinging from the tears he was fighting to hold back. He stood up, taking a proud stance as he did. He wiped the last bit of vomit from his face using his sleeve and made his way over to where the two were saying their final goodbye's.

"Naruto..." Kushina said in a raspy voice, tears welling in her eyes as she looked down at her sleeping son," Don't be a picky eater... Eat a lot... And grow big and strong." Kakashi felt the tears begin rolling down his face and the sounds crying could be heard all throughout the crowd of on-lookers. This was everything she hoped to teach her son over years, and now she only had minutes. "Make sure to bathe everyday... And stay warm... Don't stay up late... Get plenty of sleep..."

 _It's not fair!_ Kakashi shouted in his mind as the tears continued to fall as he walked towards the two. _Damn it! It's not fair!_

"Plus... Make friends..." Kushina continued, smiling down at her son as tears and blood further stained her clothes. "You don't need tons... Okay...? Just a few... That you can really trust..." Again she paused for a brief second, trying to think of everything she thought her son would need to know. "And... Your mom was really bad at this... But study hard... And learn your ninjutsu...! Just... Everyone... Is good at some things and not so good at others... So even if... Things don't go well... Don't get depressed, okay...? At the academy, respect... Your teachers and those senior to you..."

She paused for a second before remembering something else, "Oh... And regarding the Three Probibitions... Be extra careful about loaning and borrowing money... Make sure you save money... From your mission pay... And... Don't start drinking until you're of age... To much drinking is bad for your body... So... Drink in moderation... And... The most problematic... Girls... I'm a girl so I don't really know much about this... But... At some point... You'll notice girls... And that's normal... Just be careful... Don't fall for the first girl that comes your way... Find someone... Like me..." She paused again to catch her breath, everyone watching in tears as she spoke, including her husband who kept a hand on her shoulder as she continued, smiling through his tears and his pain.

 _God damn it! Why them?!_ Kakashi screamed inwardly. _Why them?!_

"Plus... Speaking of the Three Prohibitons..." Said Kushina, still speaking through the pain, "Be wary of... Master Jiraiya, ya know..." Minato placed his forhead on his wife's shoulder as she clenched her fists. "Naruto... There'll be plenty of hard... And painful... Times ahead..." Tears began flowing down her cheeks uncontrollably as her body began to wrack with sobs, "Take care of yourself... Make sure to have dreams... And the confidence... To make those dreams... Come true...!"

Minato took Kushina's hand in his, knowing they didn't have much longer. He had plenty of things he wanted to say to his son, but he couldn't bear to interupt his wife during the most painful thing they would ever go through. Kushina laced her fingers with her husband's and continued her body wretching as she cried over her son. "So much...! There's so... So... Much...! There really... There really is... So much more I want... I want to tell you... I want to be with you longer...!"

Everyone witnessing this was now sobbing uncontrolably, aside from two people: Kakashi and Hiruzen. Both men had tears in their eyes as they looked on at the tragic scene, but neither refused to show any sign of doubt or weakness at the deaths of these two fallen heroes who had given their lives to save their son's and the entire village.

"I love you..." Kushina said as more tears fell from her eyes. "I'm sorry... Minato... I talked too much..."

"No... It's all right..." Minato said painfully as he tried to comfort his wife for the last time. He looked down at the blond baby laying in front of them and couldn't help but smile. "Naruto... My words to you as your father... are to listen to your loud-mouthed mother..."

Minato was about to finish the seal, when a hand on his shoulder stopped him. He looked up to see his pupil, Kakashi, standing behind him.

"Don't worry you two..." Kakashi said, fighting back the tears that so desperately tried to push their way out of his eyes, "I'll take good care of him for you."

Minato's eyes widened with relief for the final time. He smiled as a final tear rolled off his chin.

 _Thank you... Kakashi... Eight Signed Sealing..._

And with that, the two fell limp, both still holing onto the other's hand. A new cry filled the air as Naruto awoke. His cry deafening to everyone there. Kakashi picked the blonde boy up and into his arms and cradled him, tears once again streaming down his cheeks.

I promise I'll take good care of him for you.

Eventually, life carried on in Konohagakure and a certain blonde found himself living with and being raised by Hatake Kakashi. Peace once again filled the land thanks to the sacrifice of two great heroes, and no one would forget it any time soon.

 _ **7 Years Later**_

A familiar buzzing sound filled the room, practically echoing off of the walls. Kakashi sat up in his bed and quickly scanned the room to find the source of the noise. He didn't have to look very hard to find it.

His alarm clock had been moved across the room and hidden behind his tv. He yawned as he walked over to shut it off so he could climb back into bed and go back to sleep.

 _Seriously, who wakes up this early?_ He thought to himself as he made his way back to his bed, but just before he made it a bright, blinding light filled the room. He shouted in pain as he cowered away from it, eventually tripping and landing flat on his rear.

"Damn it, Naruto!" He shouted as he tried to regain his bearings. He knew exactly who had caused this incident but it was fully confirmed when he saw the blond boy holding the string to his bedroom blinds which were now wide open allowing the bright sun to shine directly into his room.

"Get up, Kakashi!" Naruto shouted, "I don't wanna be late!"

Kakashi rubbed his eyes one last time to clear out the last of the discomfort. "You know, one of these days one of us is going to get seriously hurt in the morning."

Naruto just smiled his usual toothy grin in reply. He was already dressed and ready to go. He was wearing a bright orange tee-shirt with black shorts and sandals.

"Ugh." Kakashi groaned as he took his feet and stretched. "What time is it anyway?" And why do you like orange so much?

Naruto kept his grin in place as he replied, "It's 8."

Kakashi's eyes shot wide open. _He has to be there in 30 minutes!_ He began to frantically run around the room, gathering clothes in his arms as he went.

"Relax Kakashi." Naruto said, trying to calm down the silver haired man, "Your clothes are folded in your top drawer ready to go and Anko made breakfast before she headed out."

Kakashi let out a sigh of relief as Naruto said something that made Kakashi think the boy could read minds. "Where would you be without her?" Naruto asked him with a smile.

Kakashi chuckled a bit before replying. "I have absolutely no idea."

"Good answer." Naruto said with a grin. "Now get dressed, the Welcoming Ceremony is in half an hour."

Kakashi quickly dressed himself before making his way downstairs towards the kitchen. As he did, the sweet smell of bacon filled his nose. He pulled his mask aside and ate a few slices before the familiar blond ball of energy came bounding down the stairs, shouting at him.

"Come on Kakashi, we gotta go!" Naruto shouted, taking Kakashi by the hand and practically dragging him out of the house. Kakashi had barely had enough time to pull his mask back up before they were outside. He looked down at his sensei's son's smiling face and couldn't help but smile back. It was an automatic reaction that the boy had, not even the Sandaime Hokage could resist smiling back at the boy.

"We better hurry if we're going to make it on time Naruto." Kakashi said as he allowed the boy to lead him down the street by his hand.

As they walked down the street, through the busy morning traffic, they were greeted by many shopkeepers that Naruto had befriended over the years. All of them asked Naruto if he had everything he needed and to everyone of them the boy politely replied "I do, but thanks for asking!" Then he'd flash them that big, toothy grin of his and they would smile back, wave to him and wish the boy well.

It wasn't long before they found themselves standing just outside the gate of the Ninja Academy. Kakashi looked around to see a lot of familiar faces. Most of them belonged to someone he had worked with on missions here and there. They all smiled at the S-Ranked 'Copy-Cat Ninja' who was helpless against the power of a smiling seven year old. Kakashi made eye contact with Hiruzen, who was wearing one of the warmest smiles Kakashi had seen on the man's face in years.

Once Naruto stopped dragging Kakashi by the hand, the two were quickly approached by the students and their parents asking that Naruto become good friends with them. Naruto smiled as he introduced himself to everyone one at a time and they introduced themselves, but there was one interaction in particular that caught Kakashi's eye.

A small, pink haired girl walked up to Naruto and began introducing herself. She was wearing a red dress with a matching bow in her hair. "My names Haruno Sakura. Nice to meet you." Naruto's face turned a bright red, the brightest Kakashi had ever seen the boy's face turn before he stammered out a reply.

"M-My name's N-Namikaze N-Naruto. N-Nice to meet you."

Kakashi had to stop himself from laughing as he remembered the boy's mother's parting speech.

 _Don't fall for the first girl that comes your way... Find someone... Like me..._

He was pulled out of his own memory by a familiar hand being placed on his shoulder. He turned to see Sarutobi Hiruzen standing beside him, dressed in his full Hokage attire, smiling at him warmly.

"They'd be proud, Kakashi." the older man said.

"I hope so Hokage-sama." Kakashi replied. _I sure hope so..._

 _ **A/N**_ So there it is! My first chapter of my first FanFic! If you enjoyed this first chapter, let me know by making it a _**Favorite**_ , _**Following**_ , or **_Reviewing_**!

 **Couplings so far:**

KakaxAnko

Possibly NaruxSaku

(undecided if want her to return his feelings)

Thanks for reading!

Bonus points to anyone who gets my name's reference.

- _ **DPool**_ -


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